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Justice for Some
When Jack and Trixie are hired to protect a society dame's diamonds at a charity ball, it looks like they've finally caught that elusive nice, simple case. But when the guest list includes not one, not two but three notorious thieves, things get complicated in a heckuva hurry. Times like that a guy's lucky to manage Justice For Some! Episode Recap The action opens with Jack arriving late to the office. Trixie has arrived four hours earlier, having closed up their previous case, the Rosen case, at 7:30 pm the night before. She chastises him, pointing out that a client could have called. Jack points out that, in fact, they didn't. Trixie thinks to herself that, if it weren't for the fact that Jack makes "a mean pot of coffee", she'd be happier if he didn't show up at all. A small man enters the room, and seems surprised at the shabby state of the office. His name is Benjamin Spratt, and tells Jack and Trixie that he would like to hire them to act as couple. This automatically puts Trixie in an uncomfortable position - she obviously has no romantic feelings for Jack. Jack asks why Mr. Spratt wants them to act as a couple. Mr. Spratt replies that he would have them providing unobtrusive security for a reception he and his wife are hosting. Mrs. Spratt is the owner of a large, expensive diamond necklace. As her mother did for years, she is expected to act as hostess for the event, and she is frantic. Meanwhile, Mr. Spratt has discovered that some suspicious characters - punks, Jack calls them - will be in attendance, and he fears they may have designs on the diamonds. He doesn't want his wife to be put out of sorts by a group of burly security guards. Besides which, as Trixie points out, mose professional crooks are trained to spot Security but might just miss Jack and Trixie posing as a couple. Trixie finds herself enjoying the party, although Jack is unnerved by the lack of early arrivals, coming from a large family where being late means that your food has already been eaten. Trixie tries to get Jack to look like he's enjoying himself, but he tells her that "these society types" aren't worth impressing. Shortly thereafter, Jack spots the first of their 'punks'. Monty Callaghan is "one of the most notorious and slippery crooks in town". He styles himself as a gentleman burgler, stealing mostly paintings for and from an elite clientele. The necklace isn't Callaghan's usual fare, but Mr. Spratt might well suspect him. Jack, however, is known to Callaghan, having brought him in on "the only charge that ever stuck" - recieving stolen goods. Trixie then spots Claudette Broudeur, a jewel theif who has been out of the business for a while, or at least off the radar. She has arrived in a dress that could stop traffic and with a "dreamboat" on her arm. Trixie is instantly suspicious, wondering if Caudette has decided to take her ould "seduce and steal" shtick out for a spin, and if the arm candy is a partner or a prop. After that, Jack finds Eli Minorick, seller and theif of unique and precious heirlooms, by day and by night, respectively. He wasn't as smooth an operator as either of the other two criminals, but if he got his hands on the jewels, his network could dispose of them without a trace. He sees Jack and Trixie from across the room, and is surprised to see them, but not put out of sorts. Jack goes up to talk to Mr. Minorick, while Trixie keeps an eye on Mr. Callaghan and on Ms. Broudeur. Jack and Minorick chat snidely but relatively amiably about each other and about each others' businesses. Minorick confesses that he was solicited to buy a ticket, which tips Jack off to the fact that something is up. Minorick further remarks that the Spratt necklace is hideous and fit only to be broken up and the jewels recast. Jack remarks that the point is moot as nothing will happen to the diamonds while he is on the job. At this point, the room is plunged into total darkness. When the lights come back on, Mrs. Spratt's diamonds are gone. Jack and Trixie quickly file all the guests into four other rooms, except for the hosts and the previously described suspicious characters. (Ms. Broudeur's guest has been vetted by Trixie, and is therefore absent from the confrontation.) Jack asks if any of them would object to a search, reminding them that if the poliice get involved, all of thier names get dragged through the mud. Ms. Broudeur is the first to agree, followed by Mr. Callaghan. All of them empty thier pockets; the necklace fails to appear. Jack asks if any of the staff could have been involved, but no dice; they are all extremely loyal. Trixie asks where the lightswitches are, and for the hosts and guests to return to their locations in the room when the lights went off. Minorick was on the balcony, Callaghan was upstairs, and Ms. Broudeur was on the dance floor. Trixie flicks off the lights, but unlike the pitch darkness of the first incident, there is no light spilling into the room from the hallway. The lightswitch for the hallway lights are by the front door, meaning that this heist must have had at least three people involved - one to turn off the hallway lights, one to turn off the ballroom lights, and one to take the jewels. There is a fusebox upstairs, but Jack knows that Callaghan wouldn't have lowered himself to participate in a caper like this; he was upstairs "casing the joint", not assisting in a jewel theft. Jack accuses Ms. Broudeur of the theft, assuming that her date has the jewels, but Trixie knows that she hasn't done it, since throughout the entire evening, she only looked at her date and, nervously, at Trixie. Ms. Broudeur then tells them that the man, Paul, knows nothing about her past, and she is trying to keep it that way, as they are engaged to be married. Mr. Spratt finally accuses Mr. Minorick. Jack seems to agree, and sends Mrs. Sprat out of the room, citing her health. He then tells Mr. Spratt to give the jewels up. Jack knows Minorick is innocent because he grabbed the man's arm the moment the lights went out, and suspects Mr. Spratt because both Callaghan and Minorick recieved invitations. Spratt tearfully gives back the necklace, saying that his money is almost all gone. Jack tells him that he won't make a scene if Spratt won't. He wishes Ms. Broudeur luck in her marriage, warns Callaghan to stay away from the Spratts' paintings, tells Minorick to give him back his watch and tells Mr. Spratt that he is going to recieve a rather large bill for this night, and warns him to pay it. Spratt did pay his bill like they told him to. Minorick and Callaghan went back to their old ways. Spratt sold most of his paintings before Callaghan could get his hands on them. Ms. Broudeur and her Paul were never heard of again. Trixie doesn't like that Spratt got off so easy, but knows that it's rare to see justice for all; at best, you get justice for some. Episode Trivia *In this episode, Jack reveals that he has four brothers and two sisters. *This episode is the first reference to Jack's prowess at the manly art of coffee brewing. Links Episode Page - http://decoderringtheatre.com/index.php?id=2006-01-21_JusticeForSome&cat=bjj Category:Black Jack Justice Category:Black Jack Justice Episodes Category:Black Jack Justice Season One